Maybe that bit about “when you fast, wash your face” helps bring us into compliance with OSHA regulations.

In the comments over at Ten Reasons:  whether or not the priest is, technically, smearing some lye on your forehead along with the blessed ashes on Ash Wednesday.

                     H2O (holy)  +   Na2O (hosanna!) —>  2 NaOH (ow!)

I am really, really surprised, and a bit ashamed, that this never occurred to me before.